I must confess that, as much as I lamented the loss of an hour of sleep last weekend, I’ve been enjoying the later sunsets—enjoying them enough, in fact, to quiet the small part of me that still wants the hour of sleep back. I love how daylight now stretches into the early evening. For some reason, it makes me feel more productive and more active, despite the fact that nothing else in my daily schedule or routine has changed. It’s funny how an hour of sunlight can do that.
Yesterday, though, I fell victim to one of the small consequences of this time change. As I sat there at my desk next to the window, hearing the neighbor’s children running and playing outside, I thought: “Wow, I got quite a lot done today. And it’s still light outside!” Then I glanced at the clock, and thought: “What in the world? Is it really 6:30? But it’s still light outside!” As it happened, we had to be somewhere at 7:00 last night, which meant dinner didn’t happen until 9:45PM, picked up from one of the few places in our area still open that late.
Many things can interfere with our daily schedule and sometimes, we find ourselves scrambling to put together that last meal of the day, half-panicked when we realize we may not have time to cook anything. So let’s put our heads together and gather ideas to help each other out when we find ourselves in that predicament! Tell us:
What do you do when you realize you barely have time to prepare dinner?
I know we already talked about last-minute meals a while back, and if you have time, do check the great comments in that post. But what if you don’t even have 30 minutes to spare? Do you you have a favorite takeout option, or even a partly-homemade solution? (My brother-in-law gets flame-broiled chicken and tortillas from a local place, then adds freshly chopped vegetables and avocado slices as toppings.) Do you just consider it an opportunity to dine out and save yourself from cooking and cleaning up, and enjoy the unexpected but welcome break? If you insist on cooking, do you have any go-to recipes using everyday ingredients, ready in about 15 minutes or so? Share your ideas—and any links—below!
37 Comments
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AngAK on 3.18.2015
Interesting comments on “breakfast” food and “dinner” food. Who decided that eggs or pancakes or waffles etc were “breakfast” foods? In Europe the crepe, and pancake, and eggs with pasta or beans, and grits/polenta etc etc are common dinner items. In the south here they have waffle and fried chicken restaurants and 24 hour breakfast is quite common in many diners all over the country. Nothing better than huevos rancheros for dinner! or pizza for breakfast! biscuits and gravy—gravy for breakfast?? why yes please!
Shawna C on 3.18.2015
Another supper-for-breakfast eater here! Leftover potato masala dosa or burrito makes a great breakfast, and I’m not above grabbing leftovers from the night before and eating them cold from the fridge in the morning if I’m in a hurry. I make a point of heating things with rice only because rice gets hard when it’s cold.
Kim on 3.13.2015
Quick comment for CL (Cheryl) – I eat dinner food for breakfast all the time! Leftovers are awesome and quick and easy to reheat in the morning. Try it sometime!
I also eat breakfast for dinner and love freezer finds for a quick meal.
AlysonRR on 3.13.2015
We love breakfast for dinner, too. Crepes, Swedish pancakes, blueberry pancakes plus egg and/or meat. Always popular.
And yes, we will eat “dinner” foods for breakfast. Leftover noodles/veg or pizza, not to mention baked potatoes with cheese/chili/sour cream/etc., frequently appear in the morning
AlysonRR on 3.13.2015
We eat ramen noodles, cooked in chicken broth then drained and mixed with Sriracha, ginger and garlic paste, and soy sauce, with whatever veg and leftover meat (or cubed tofu, egg) we have on hand.
Next is some kind of pancake – scallion pancake (not the kneaded kind, just a simple egg/flour pancake with scallions and seasonings) or okonomiyaki – served with steamed rice and nori (put some rice and a slice of pancake into a quarter piece of nori, add hot sauce or soy sauce, and dive in – yum!).
We also keep kielbasa and meatballs on hand, then saute them with onion, etc., and serve over pasta.
Open-faced tuna melts on toasted English muffin are a great favorite, as are grilled cheese sandwiches and chili.
C. L. ( Cheryl ) "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser on 3.13.2015
I have to say I am totally amazed how many people here have commented that they eat breakfast foods for supper? We have never done that. Would I eat Supper foods at breakfast? Food for thought Y’All.
Stephanie on 3.13.2015
We make homemade beanie-weanies. We use canned baked beans & cut up wieners & just heat. We also make toast pizza. Toast bread, then top with sauce & toppings. Bake @ 325 degrees until the cheese is melted. We also make hot dogs with homemade chili for a quick dinner.
Dee on 3.13.2015
Prepared gnocchi warmed with frozen homemade marinara, or in olive oil, onions, garlic and bacon pieces.
ann on 3.12.2015
Nuke a russet potato and top it with a good brand of canned chili and some cheese and add a salad
Another Dawn on 3.12.2015
Grilled cheese sandwiches and canned tomato soup. Yum.
Lisa B on 3.12.2015
Love tortellini / pasta & quick. Another quick option is breakfast, pancakes, french toast or eggs.
Ja Ella on 3.12.2015
I recently made my meatloaf recipe, but baked them in a muffin tin, sprayed first with cooking spray. After baking them I let them sit about 5 minutes & then using a fork removed them to a baking sheet. After they were cooled completely, I packaged 2 each in ziplock freezer bags. They thaw at room temp in about an hour. I then nuke them, covered, for 1 1/2 minutes & they are ready to eat. If you knew you were going to be short on time, pull the number you’ll need ( 2 are perfect for an adult, children, probably one) & thaw in the fridge. I use a Nordic Ware melamine plate that came with a clear plastic dome that’s about 2 1/2″ tall to reheat lots of things in the microwave. I bought it at Walmart a few years ago. It will hold at least 6 of the mini loaves, if you are preparing for a family meal.
WestieMom on 3.12.2015
When I make chili, I always freeze a small container that can be easily thawed & reheated in the microwave. We pour it on top of a bagged salad (usually always have one on hand), sprinkle with shredded cheddar and serve with tortilla chips. Breakfast for dinner is always a winner, too. We always keep home-made breakfast burritos in the freezer and they are hot and ready from the microwave in 90 seconds. Love everyone’s ideas!
jackie on 3.12.2015
My husband loves to have a bowl of cereal for dinner. As for me, I will make a quesadilla, I always have tortillas and cheese on hand. We also use the pizza place on corner, nice italian pizza, not a big cheap chain, and chinese on the corner too, also a grocery store, where we can grab fried chicken from the deli!
Kate Sparks on 3.12.2015
Breakfast for dinner.. Pancakes, scrambled eggs with veggies/meat leftovers… bacon..
Lucky W on 3.12.2015
In addition to some of the ideas already mentioned, one of our quick meals is pierogies. I keep them in the freezer. Pot of boiling water. Melted butter and onion. Dinner is finished and on the table in about 15 minutes.
Patty Paulsen on 3.12.2015
Quesadillas! We always have flour tortillas around, there is always cheese & salsa, usually some cooked chicken or other leftover meat, add any other fillings out of the fridge (i.e. chopped onions, peppers). Assemble while you heat up the pannini grill (it never leaves my counter), and voila! 2-3 minutes later you have dinner. Over the years, many meals have come from the pannini grill, I would say it is one of my most used/valued appliances.
janmaus on 3.12.2015
I meant olive oil, not garlic oil in my previous post, but couldn’t see how to edit
janmaus on 3.12.2015
For me “fast” doesn’t mean frozen, unless it’s bread. A few things I do have on hand at all times are canned chickpeas, and it takes about 2 minutes to turn them into hummus (puree and add garlic, cumin, tahini, lemon juice–I used to add some garlic oil and aim for a silky texture, but that’s just calories and we like it just as well without). We like veggie sandwiches –pull some pocket breads out of the freezer and into the toaster and layer the sandwiches with hummus, peppadew peppers, sliced cucumber, lightly dressed greens. Other options are a few chopped olives, sliced radishes–too many variations to list them all.
Tortilla soup is also really fast–while you heat up some chicken broth, add a bit of shredded chicken, a few crumbled tortilla chips, diced tomato, diced onion, and a bit of cheese (queso fresco is wonderful, but any grated or crumbled cheese will do–feta is a good substitute for the Mexican cheese) to a bowl and pour the hot broth over. This is always best if you add some green chilies–canned are fine, and fresh cilantro, and other good things include diced avocado, a couple of chopped olives, whatever strikes your fancy.
Quesadillas are a 3rd “go-to”, particularly if there is leftover meat of any kind, but preferably a few bits of chicken–or any sort of grilled cheese sandwich. We never tire of grilled cheese!
MM on 3.11.2015
Our favorite thing to make in a jiffy is what we call simply “Rice and beans”. 1 cup jasmine rice, 2 cups water, 1 can beans, 1 can rotel, 1 can tomato sauce, 1/4 cup cubed velveeta cheese, and 1-2 tbsp taco seasoning of choice. Mix all together, and cook in covered skillet for 15 minutes. Jasmine rice cooks up beautifully in 15 minutes. You could also use instant rice if you have it on hand. Also, precooked hamburger meat is a great addition to this meal as well. Serve with shredded cheese on top, and if desired, warmed tortillas. This is one of my family’s favorite go-to quick meals.
Another quick one we often do – especially if I get back late from grocery shopping (stores are an hour away from us), I will make grilled cheese and canned chicken noodle soup. It always hits the “spot” too!
Patricia @ ButterYum on 3.11.2015
I’m not above stopping at a drive thru when super pressed for time, but if I’m already home, there’s nothing faster than scrambled eggs.
kay43026 on 3.11.2015
My kiddos are all grown so…most nights…it’s just hubs and me for dinner. Early retirement has its advantages sometimes. If we get lazy or lose track of time…we just go out to dinner (but we eat at home most days)…we’re lucky we now live in an area with a plethora of great restaurants.
That said, I still like to keep chicken soup, beef barley vegetable soup, chili & sliced, cooked chicken breasts in the freezer. They’re all quick to thaw (I put my large cooling rack over one side of my kitchen sink and put the container on top, allowing air to get all around and thaw quickly) and dinner (or lunch) can be put on the table in no time. There’s usually some cooked rice and pasta of some sort hanging out in the fridge for a very quick meal, too.
I also keep all sorts of cheeses in the fridge to nibble on. I’m obsessed (that’s putting it quite mildly!) with bread making, so there’s always freshly made bread of some sort to make sandwiches, paninis…or even pizza…for a quick meal.
I still buy meat in bulk at Sam’s/Costco and come home and FoodSaver it into serving size packages. Meat frozen that way is so easy & quick to thaw…just put it in the sink in cold water and it’s ready to cook in no time…or thaw as stated above.
If Hubs is out of town, I’ll usually fix breakfast food for dinner. He, however, only likes eggs, pancakes/waffles for breakfast!
…there’s always cereal
Sandi W. on 3.11.2015
I can always do something with an egg so a meal size stuffed omelet is always a quick fix or a roast chicken from the local deli/supermarket is so convenient and all you have to cook is some veggies or make a quick salad!
Dottie1 on 3.11.2015
I try to keep frozen phillysteak sandwiches, and cheeseburgers from Costcos in the freezer for days I am super busy. I also freeze left over pizza for days like that.
C. L. ( Cheryl ) "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser on 3.11.2015
TWO WORDS–FREEZER MEALS!!! Happy cooking on the fly Y’All.
Donna H on 3.11.2015
Like a few has already commented Breakfast for dinner. Scrambled eggs & Toast, sometimes take the potatoes and cook them in the microwave until there are soft but not cooked all the way. Let them cool to touch and either slice or cubed, throw them in the skillet till almost brown then throw in the eggs and scramble together. Even throw in Ham if we have any leftovers in the fridge. Hope you kind of understand what I just said, not too bright today, lol!
Grilled Cheese with whatever you have on hand. I sometimes eat a little salad with it.
A big salad and put what you have on hand in the fridge if in a hurry.
Pancakes is another favorite for dinner, even French Toast.
A lot of times I just find things to eat when I don’t want a big meal. I just raid the cupboard, refrigerator or freezer and put the stuff together.
Annette S. on 3.11.2015
Breakfast for dinner is always a quick and easy choice. I keep bacon in my freezer for this reason, then scramble up some eggs with whatever veggies I have handy. Pop some english muffins, or whole wheat bread in the toaster, and viola…dinner is served! We love it!
Susan on 3.11.2015
If I have only 30 minutes to prepare, eat and go – I would make “Breakfast Burritos”
Make soft scrambled eggs. On a large tortilla, sprinkle Mexican Cheese Blend, then the scrambled eggs, sour cream and hot sauce. Roll it up and enjoy. Everyone is satisfied – it’s filling and oh, so, good.
Shawna C on 3.11.2015
We pick up BBQed chicken from the grocery store and throw it on plates with buttered buns and raw veggies if we’re in a hurry and on the way home. If we’re at home I often look to the freezer and thaw something quick in the microwave in a huge, bowl-sized glass measuring cup.
Our actual quick-cook options are:
– Pita pizzas (meat, spinach, jarred marinara) – I keep a pot of fresh basil growing by the sink and any pizza is fancier with this topping it
– Grilled cheese with canned soup
– Quesidillas or nachos with cheese and chunks of leftover meat or cut-up deli turkey, and chopped peppers I keep in a bag in the freezer. The kids and I have canned refried beans on ours as well.
– Stir-fry with an assortment of veggies from the freezer, leftover meat, onions, ginger, garlic, and either rice or noodles that cook while I’m stirfrying the other stuff
If you don’t have egg issues like we do, adding an egg to the stirfry is a fast protein addition, and omelettes and scrambled eggs are the easiest, quickest things ever and can be loaded with veggies! Oh how I miss eggs…
Monica M on 3.11.2015
Quick go to meals for me would be omelets and pita pizza both of those you can just use whatever you have on hand. Also if you are lacking pizza sauce just use olive oil. Pasta is always quick. One of my favorites the sauce is made from soft goat cheese. Just take some of the pasta water, goat cheese and butter and stir until a sauce forms. Toss in any vegetables you have that you roasted or boiled or maybe some quickly sauteed bell peppers.
Beth B. on 3.11.2015
Nothing like a BLT or egg sandwich which are both quick and easy and I always have Bacon, eggs and bread on hand.
Kari Beth on 3.11.2015
I have to second the Naan bread pizzas – we put all kinds of leftovers on them and call it pizza – chopped meatballs with sauce a little cheese, rotisserie chicken with bbq sauce and cheese, veggies, sauce and a little parm. Really easy.
One of our other quick dinners we affectionately call Fruity Friday – any kind of deli or leftover meat, sliced cheese, veggies, fruit and crackers or bread. We’ve been known to put it all on a large platter or pizza pan and take it to go – to the park, ball-field, or front porch – whatever is up next for the night.
Anna on 3.11.2015
I have two dinners I can usually fall back on.
1. Spaghetti and frozen corn.
2. Chopped salad. I am big on produce, so lots of times I just take out some of everything I have in the fridge and chop it up with some dressing. I will also add a little of some of my leftovers to the salad. Sometimes it is a cooked grain like brown rice or couscous or quinoa. Sometimes I chop up hard boiled eggs or add canned salmon or canned beans or chicken.
My last chopped salad had green lettus, spinach, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrots, apples, canned salmon, brown rice, olives, and a homemade dressing with a little mayo, mustard and an oil & vinegar dressing. I put the left-over onion straws on the side because some of my little kids don’t like them. But my husband and I both piled them on the top. I had a bag of frozen sweet potato fries that I served on the side. It is nice to have fast and healthy!
kim on 3.11.2015
I rely on my freezer a lot. But if there’s nothing thawed and I’m totally unprepared, I often rely on my local independent grocer. Ours has homemade meatloaf that’s pretty doggone good, so I’ll slice it, reheating in a skillet with (my Grandma would die…again) jarred mushroom gravy. I’ll serve it with a tub of purchased mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, blasted for 5 minutes in the microwave. It’s a tad reminiscent of high school cafeteria food, but honestly, it’s not bad. And it’s 15 minutes tops.
Another quickie for me in naan bread pizza. That same local grocery store stocks large pizza sized naan bread, and I keep it in the freezer. A little tomato, slice some salami or whatever veg I have in the crisper drawer, a little cheese of some sort, a grating of parmesan and it takes only 9 minutes in the oven, straight from the freezer. That’s my newest quickie meal.
CC in NJ on 3.11.2015
I try to always have on hand…frozen tortelini, frozen peas and a four cheese sauce in a jar. It takes about 15 minutes to put together and it’s not bad. I’ll cook tortelini at the last minute i’ll add the frozen peas then drain then add jared sauce. Dinner is served….if I’m lucky and have lettuce handy we’ll have a salad with it.
Cheri on 3.11.2015
I get busted by the time troll allot, so I rely on a well stocked pantry, freezer and meal based items that I can/preserve throughout the year. For example, I have quarts of various types of soup, corned beef hash, chile and sloppy joes that I can use “as they are” just reheat or make them into quick and impressive casserole dishes. The chile works great on top of baked potatoes, one of the soups I have canned – taco soup I drain off about 1/2 of the liquid and then use in a casserole dish, covering with corn bread, biscuits or even using potatoes I’ve canned after making into a quick mashed potato topping.
Having lots of pasta, grains and other items ready to go in the freezer to de thaw and add to items that I’ve already prepared/canned are all time savers.
A favorite around here is breakfast for dinner, of which I usually keep a supply of frozen homemade waffles to supplement the meal, and I make Eggs Benedict with no meat – just spinach as the substitute for meat – with Bernaise sauce instead of Hollandaise as topping.
When I make a dish, such as meatloaf, I try to freeze half of it, mark it well and plan on using it within the next few weeks.
When all else fails, we have a local mom and pop restaurant that delivers, and they know our address by heart!
Mary Adair on 3.11.2015
When I make ravioli (egg wrappers from grocery store), I make lots of batches of them (I combine cooked butternut squash and canned pumpkin or small baked pumpkins with spices and such) over several days and keep them in the freezer. I boil some water and add a few, warm up some browned butter, add some Parmesan and fresh basil or sage and have them in about 10 minutes. I normally cut up lots of vegetables for salads and can throw together a salad while the water boils.
If I am really exhausted, there is always some cereal or an English muffin or even eggs. available. I rarely have bread around for sandwiches, but that would be an option in the summer so that I can make a tomato sandwich.